PHOTOS BY MICHAEL D. DAVIS The work of Amina Mekanovic is currently on display at the Toledo Public Library for the month of October.

It is that time of year when leaves crunch underfoot, pumpkins don visages of horror, and things go bump in the night. The spooky month of October pairs well with the talent and style of local young artist Amina Mekanovic. The astounding yet eerie art of Amina can be found at the Toledo Public Library for the month of October.

“I knew that I truly enjoyed creating art when I was 8 years old, as I realized that it was something that I was good at, as well as it also being a way for me to express myself in ways that words couldn’t,” Amina said.

Now sixteen years old and a Junior at South Tama, Amina’s passion for art remains strong within her, and incorporates it into her future. From Norman Rockwell to Vincent Van Gogh, Amina studies her favorite artists, learning from the masters that came before. Although you won’t find that her paintings are of sunflowers or snapshots of early 20th-century life, as her art tends to lean a bit more grim.

“I enjoy the horror genre as I have always found fascination and comfort in the macabre. I love it as it gives you well-thought-out characters and ideations that teach you about everyday life, deeper than, let’s say, a comedy would,” Amina said.

A lifelong horror fan, Amina reveres Mary Shelley, author of the classic novel Frankenstein, and the monster found within the pages. One of the paintings on display is of the bolted together man that Amina painted in acrylic.

The artist talked about her horror favorites saying, “My favorite horror movie character would most likely be Frankenstein or Leatherface, I love these characters as I see myself within them, but my top three favorite horror movies are The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), The Silence of the Lambs, and The Thing (1982).”

It is no surprise that Halloween is Amina’s favorite holiday. Horror and Halloween make October the perfect month for Amina’s showcase. Whether you simply love art and want to see the work of a promising young, local artist or you wish to celebrate everything spooky and ooky this month, make sure to get up to the Toledo Public Library and see the art of Amina Mekanovic.